1000 Miles Running, 1000 Miles Biking

Can't run. Can't bike. (Read 190 times)

Last night I got my first ambulance ride courtesy of a hapless elderly driver. I didn't do anything wrong. Shit happens, people who shouldn't drive do, helmets save lives, coulda happened to a runner, and I'm ok.

Riding down a gradual hill into a flat section of a large wide primary road. The car waiting at a cross street on the right came out just as I approached. Nothing to do but hit him square in the front fender at 25+mph. He had a 500+ ft. straight line of view towards me. I flew about 35 feet, landed on my left shoulder, the back of my head smacked the ground violently, then my bike landed on me. Nothing broken, deep cuts in my right hand, cuts, scrapes, welts, are all over. Head, neck, chest, arms, legs, and hips are sore.

Ambulance/ER experience was interesting. Despite being close to the local hospital they took me down the interstate in rush hour (sirens and all) to Mass General in Boston. I asked why and they said "30 mph on pedestrian, shoes knocked off...it's protocol." Usually it's much worse. I'm very, very lucky.

What drives me crazy is that I was riding in about the most ordinary manor, albeit quickly. If it's not safe to ride past stopped cars at intersecting stop signs what do you do?

Should be interesting to see how various symptoms play out. My left leg is pretty bum right now. Also, the bike is totaled, I've had some costs so far, etc... I've been riding for over 30 years and never had such a spectacular crash. Getting back on the bike should be interesting. The mountain bike might make an appearance. For the next few days I'll be resting.

Wow, that account is so harrowing! And, yeah...that whole shoes-off thing is why I got away from the shoe tab Road IDs.

After reading that I am more thankful and amazed that you came out of that mostly in one piece. Phew!

What's going to happen to the driver?

Dunno what's going to happen to the driver. I hope to get the police soon report and see if they even cited him. Today I spoke with his insurance rep who, without saying it, seemed to understand the driver was 100% at fault. There isn't a reason to rush this so I'm in the info gathering mode right now. I still hurt badly and have severe muscle trauma in my legs which makes racing a marathon seem like kids play. The doctor told me not to work the next day but, well, that would have been a luxury. I'll have scars from this.

DW hasn't directly said as much but It's obvious she's rather see me not do the kind of riding that I do. I've got too many responsibilities and reducing one risk factor is, well, reducing one risk factor. That makes me really sad. Though I may take months off at a time, cycling is part of who I am. Always has been since I was 5. I'm sure she wouldn't stop me from riding but I don't want to impose worry upon her. Mountain bike might help. No cars allowed!

I'm glad I got one last memorable ride on this bike Sunday. It was a nice little metric century early in the morning when I seemed to "own" the road. Here's a shot from that ride when I stopped for a bite.

What a beautiful place to ride. I'm sorry that you are being forced to take a break from that.

It really does scare me how many risks motorists offer. It used to be that we only had to worry about drunks and people fiddling with their radios. I LOVE my smartphone, but when I am in the car it generally stays IN my purse. I never text and I rarely will even take or make calls. It's not worth the reduction of my attention or reaction time. I just wish more people took it as seriously as I do.

And the thing with elderly drivers...my grandpa was such a risk to himself and everyone around him in his later years. It got to where my siblings and I refused to ride in the car with him after a few too many close calls. The AARP needs to stop standing in the way of making stricter age-based driving restrictions. We don't let kids drive much before 16 because they don't have the physical ability to react fast enough...so why do we let older folks get a free pass?